Geochemical features of the Zoujiashan and Shazhou uranium ore deposits in the Xiangshan area, Jiangxi, China: Implications for hydrothermal source

Abstract

This article presents a geochemical analysis of the major and trace elements in the wall-rocks and ores at different elevations in the Zhoujiashan and Shazhou ore deposits of the Xiangshan uranium orefield. Combining the analysis results with alteration characteristics of the deposits, we aims to understand the source of ore-forming materials and fluids. The variation trend of the typical major elements shows that the Xiangshan orefield has obvious vertical alteration zonings. The alteration rocks exposed in the shallow part of the Zoujiashan deposit mainly show alkaline alteration, while those exposed in the Shazhou deposit mainly show acidic alteration, which confirms the alteration characteristics of "alkaline alteration in the north and acidic alteration in the west" in the Xiangshan area. Correlation analysis and Q-type cluster analysis of the trace elements in the two deposits show that the geochemical characteristics of the two deposits are similar. Mo, Sr, Th, Tl, U, V, La and Ba are closely related to mineralization. The above two analysis together with the study on loading relations of orthogonal factors reveal that the ore-forming hydrothermal fluids of the two deposits are derived from the same deep fluid. Moreover, the loading relations analysis of orthogonal factors also shows that rhyolite is strongly correlated with ore, suggesting that ore-forming materials are most likely derived from rhyolite magma.

Keywords

• zoujiashan deposit
• shazhou deposit
• hydrothermal alteration
• ore-forming materials
• geochemistry of elements